Tweet
Baby and I had to run out to do shopping errands today (picking up more bread and milk, since we were almost out, and trying to find some craft supplies to finish some fans I'm painting for a friend).
Twice on the way home, I saw pedestrians cross the street against traffic, without really paying attention to the lights.
The first was a set of three high school kids, who were apparently joking and laughing together so much they weren't paying attention to the traffic signals. Like most intersections in this city, the pedestrian crossing signals get their own place in the light queue, such that all vehicles have a red light so the pedestrians can cross any direction they please. These three kids were just meandering down the sidewalk, stopping here and there as they pleased, while the pedestrian signal was lit. Then, just as it stops blinking and the cross street gets its green light, the kids step out into the crosswalk. And then stop when they realize the cross street has a green light, meaning they're standing in front of cars that have the right of way. Apparently the car in the lead motioned for them to go ahead, because they (to their credit) crossed as quickly as they could manage.
Four blocks later, I'm waiting at the red light while the cross street has a green. An older man approached in line with the cross street, but was too far away when the light turned yellow. He glanced up just as it turned red, then stepped out to cross the now-green street (mine) anyway. Then, like the teens, he stopped in the middle of the lane when he realized he shouldn't be in the street, smiled sheepishly at the car waiting to go, and jogged across.
To top off the sundae, I pulled onto the street before mine and moved to the left-turn lane, from which I would turn onto my street. The street already had a red light. There was a car sitting just ahead of the stop line of the left-turn lane, just sitting there under the red light. As I pull up to the stop line, it suddenly pulls out and turns left, running the red light, just as the cross street got its green, meaning it held up more traffic.
What is it with people in this city today?
Twice on the way home, I saw pedestrians cross the street against traffic, without really paying attention to the lights.
The first was a set of three high school kids, who were apparently joking and laughing together so much they weren't paying attention to the traffic signals. Like most intersections in this city, the pedestrian crossing signals get their own place in the light queue, such that all vehicles have a red light so the pedestrians can cross any direction they please. These three kids were just meandering down the sidewalk, stopping here and there as they pleased, while the pedestrian signal was lit. Then, just as it stops blinking and the cross street gets its green light, the kids step out into the crosswalk. And then stop when they realize the cross street has a green light, meaning they're standing in front of cars that have the right of way. Apparently the car in the lead motioned for them to go ahead, because they (to their credit) crossed as quickly as they could manage.
Four blocks later, I'm waiting at the red light while the cross street has a green. An older man approached in line with the cross street, but was too far away when the light turned yellow. He glanced up just as it turned red, then stepped out to cross the now-green street (mine) anyway. Then, like the teens, he stopped in the middle of the lane when he realized he shouldn't be in the street, smiled sheepishly at the car waiting to go, and jogged across.
To top off the sundae, I pulled onto the street before mine and moved to the left-turn lane, from which I would turn onto my street. The street already had a red light. There was a car sitting just ahead of the stop line of the left-turn lane, just sitting there under the red light. As I pull up to the stop line, it suddenly pulls out and turns left, running the red light, just as the cross street got its green, meaning it held up more traffic.
What is it with people in this city today?
Hoped my middle finger made your day. 
Comment